ASSOCIATION OF FRAILTY WITH NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE IN OLDER ADULTS WITH STROKE

Abstract

Introduction: Stroke can lead to a substantial reduction in quality of life and long-term functional dependency, in addition to increased mortality in the acute phase. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between frailty and nutritional status and functional independence in older adults with stroke. Materials and Method: This retrospective observational study included 84 patients aged over 65 years with stroke. The Mini Nutritional Assessment was used to evaluate nutritional status, the Frail Scale and Clinical Frailty Scale were used to assess frailty before and after stroke, and the Katz Index was used to evaluate activities of daily living. The Modified Rankin Scale was used to assess disease prognosis, while the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was used to determine disease severity. Results: Pre-stroke frailty was significantly associated with poorer nutritional status (MNA: r = −0.55, p < 0.001) and lower functional independence (Katz Index: r = −0.55, p < 0.001). A weak positive correlation was observed between frailty and stroke severity (NIHSS: r = 0.25, p = 0.021), whereas no significant association was found with functional outcome measured by the MRS (p = 0.739). Conclusion: Frailty was significantly associated with nutritional status and functional independence in older adults with stroke. Frailty assessment may contribute to a more comprehensive evaluation of clinical vulnerability and support individualized rehabilitation and care planning; however, its prognostic value requires confirmation in prospective studies using validated predictive models. Keywords: Frailty; Stroke; Functional Independence; Rehabilitation; Geriatrics.